title: Gene gun-mediated skin transfection with FL gene suppresses the growth of murine fibrosarcoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Particle-mediated transfection is known as an efficient method of non-viral gene transfer. Flt3 ligand (FL) is a growth factor for hematopoietic progenitors; it promotes the growth of dendritic cells (DC). DCs are powerful antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and show a remarkable capacity to stimulate antigen-specific T-cell responses. In this study, we intended to investigate the suppressive effect on tumor growth by gene gun-mediated transfer of FL in a murine model.
  
  
  METHODS
  C57BL/6J mice were injected intradermally with MCA205 cells. DNA (pNGVL-hFLex)-coated gold particles were delivered to the mouse skin surrounding the target tumor. The expression of FL was determined by RT-PCR. Analyses by immunohistochemistry and fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) revealed an increase in the number of DC after treatment with FL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gene gun-mediated pNGVL-hFLex transfer significantly inhibited the growth of the MCA205 tumor. FL transfer markedly increased the number of CD11c(+) DCs in the tumor tissue. Further, the FL-transfected mice exhibited a significantly higher number of CD80(+) MHC-II cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We successfully performed FL therapy using an in vivo gene gun in order to effectively mobilize DCs in situ and induce suppressive immunity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Health Biosciences, University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Furumoto
authors.forename: Kanako
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Yasuyo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saijo
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Irahara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D019470:Biolistics; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005354:Fibrosarcoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015870:Gene Expression; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C084881:flt3 ligand protein